Her older sister, an NIIFT graduate, got a job in Andheri, and Pratibha decided to join her. From visiting beaches to traveling in local trains, the actress fell in love with her first impression of Mumbai. He enrolled at Usha Pravin Gandhi College of Management in Mumbai to pursue his graduation in filmmaking. Based on the advice of her seniors and friends, she joined an online audition group. At first, she was afraid to audition in a distant location, she always shared the location directly with her sister. Within six months of arriving in Mumbai, he landed his first TV show, Qurbaan Hua, becoming a celebrity in his hometown. It was then that his parents realized that he was serious about acting. She also bagged a role in Aadha Ishq. Always envisioning herself as a big screen actress, she realized that dream when she auditioned for Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies. Even now, everything seems real to Pratibha. “I didn’t even know when I was sitting in front of Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao, auditioning for Laapataa Ladies. They said there are some things planned for you. If you work hard at your job, the world is there to overcome everything else. She recalls that Aamir and Kiran made him feel at home during the audition. Thanks to his calm presence, he gave his best. “I performed better because of his positive energy. At 5pm, I packed up and went home. At 7 o’clock I was called that I was selected to be a part.”
Pratibha finds herself in a relationship with her on-screen character, Jaya. The film helped him analyze himself better. “When I read the script, a lot of my strong emotions came out. I was able to solve it and find closure for a lot of hidden things,” he said. She added that working with a female director definitely helped as she could easily understand what Kiran Rao wanted. Validating reviews, but the biggest compliment is the order from home. “I got a message from my friends back home that if you can do it, we can do it too. It felt like we were finally able to achieve something,” he said.
Pratibha had to ask Aamir Khan the most important question – How did he get the title of Mr. Perfectionist? “I actually asked him, and he gave me a really good answer. He said, ‘I’m not looking for perfection, I’m looking for a magical moment.’ And that makes sense to me. He’s not looking for perfection. Sometimes you get it in one shot, sometimes you get it in several takes.”
She auditioned for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi after completing Laapataa Ladies. He recounted the first day on the set of SLB, saying, “I was fascinated by the grandeur. It was a huge plane. It was a very scary feeling. Everything was decked up, the lights came on the truck, and the costumes were brought in a lot. When I went to the van and saw my costumes , I really like it because it looks different. It’s the complete opposite of Laapataa Ladies.
The actress couldn’t stop working with SLB, “The way he portrayed the character was amazing. Every frame was perfect. I learned how to delve deeper than ever into the work. Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali entered the best category , and I had the pleasure of working with him so early in my career.
